The Legend of Zelda: Shadow Realm
by kirbyfan1996
Summary: Hyrule faces the return of its darkest threat, and it threatens the very existence of the universe. Can Mario, Sonic, and Kirby help Link destroy the ancient evil once and for all? Crossover for LoZ, Mario, Sonic, and Kirby. Rated T for some darker scenes later. Ch. 9 complete!
1. Prologue: The New Invasion

Notice

I'm only going to say this once, so here it is.

Any and all rights relating to the Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. belong to Nintendo and its affiliates.

Any and all rights relating to Kirby belong to Nintendo, Hal Laboratory, and other affiliates.

Any and all rights relating to Sonic the Hedgehog belong to SEGA and its affiliates.

References to the plot in "Trapped in Termina" and "The Three Oracles" refer to the works of brown phantom. These two works are some of the finest pieces of fanfiction I've ever read. I highly recommend reading them since I will make some references. To gind them, use the upper right hand search feature and either search for the stories or the author (I'd provide direct links, but this system seems to prevent me from doing so).

This is my very first fanfic, which I've been working on for years. It still doesn't satisfy me, and I could use all the help I can get. And you know what helps most? Reviews. They are very much appreciated.

* * *

Prologue: The New Invasion

"Ribbon, be honest," the hero from Pop Star asked while putting a sash on his head. "Does this thing make me look too girly?"

"Kirby, it makes you look ridiculous!" his girlfriend replied.

Kirby blushed. "Ah, well, that's what the head bodyguard of Princess Zelda has to wear."

"Are you sure you're going to show up for that job?"

"Why not?" Kirby asked.

"It's going to be very dangerous," Ribbon answered.

"It's also going to be fun! Besides, you know I can handle myself fine! You remember how I saved Ripple Star from that black hole awhile back, don't you?" Kirby cheerfully responded.

"How couldn't I? It was the first time I'd seen you in years! I don't know if I'd ever want to part ways with you again…"

Kirby stopped for a moment. "I fell the same way, Ribbon, but you know that I have to go to Hyrule, right? I have to go investigate whatever weird frequencies are coming from there."

Kirby was referring to a strange signal from the faraway kingdom that had appeared on Meta Knight's radar a few months ago. Though they paid no attention to it at first since it eventually disappeared, it had recently become disruptive for the citizens of Pop Star. Many of them began to have draining nightmares, more severe than the time when the Star Rod went missing from Pop Star's Fountain of Dreams. Perhaps more disturbing, the mirror that led into the Mirror World had begun to act strangely again. Dark clouds had formed around it carrying an unmistakable sense of malevolence; however, nothing had actually come out of it yet. Meta Knight feared that a dark prophecy was beginning to come true. One with a threat that could possibly wreak havoc in the universe…

"I know Meta Knight and King Dedede would be able to subdue anything that comes from that mirror if it tries to come over to Dream Land. Whatever is making that signal, though, seems to be growing stronger by the day. I have to go check it out, and taking this job will make me less suspicious."

Ribbon only sighed. "I'm still going to miss you so much."

"Well, have something to remember me by." Kirby kissed her. As he started out, Kirby said one last thing to her. "If you ever get into trouble, don't hesitate to use the cell phone. It works even across space, so I'll come straight away if you need any help!" With that, he used his cell phone to summon a warp star and flew away to Hyrule Castle. He didn't notice the dark cloud forming behind him...

* * *

The castle was eerily desolate, Kirby noted, as he approached the gates. Suspicious that something was going on, Kirby started up for the main chamber. When Kirby finally found the chamber and entered, he found a dark figure holding an unconscious Zelda by the throat. Kirby flinched; he looked to find other guards, but they, too, were unconscious. An ominous chuckle emanated from the figure. Whoever it was wore regal looking attire that seemed stained somewhat by blood. Something didn't seem right. Kirby looked into the stranger's face and stepped back in shock. The intruder didn't seem to have a face, merely a skull animated by some unknown force.

The interloper let go of the unconscious princess and began to speak to Kirby. "Forgive me for my current appearance," he started. "I have experienced an undesirable turn of events and have not been able to fix myself. In fact, if it weren't for the will of my lord, I would be no more than another body in a grave."

Kirby no longer felt the initial fear that emanated from the intruder, but he remained alert. "My name is Kirby," he stated. "Who exactly are you?"

"Ah, yes. I seem to have forgotten my manners. I– GAAAAH!" The stranger seemed to seize up in pain at that moment. Kirby noticed that his eyes were filled with the most blood-curling shade of red he had ever seen. A new presence had taken over. "Silence!" the newcomer demanded in a sinister tone. "We have no time for this conversation." Obviously he was talking with the other presence that previously occupied him. "We still have much to do and need to get going if we want to complete this return and finally gain enough power to fulfill our destinies." He then turned to Kirby. "YOU!" Kirby almost fell on his back. "If you value the others in this room, you shall obey my commands!"

Kirby hesitated. He was not used to backing down when a threat was made against him. However, Kirby realized that the power in this stranger was too great to take on alone. He submitted and took instructions before the figure covered the castle in darkness and departed. He immediately regretted his decision. He could only hope that Ribbon was okay…


	2. Chapter 1: Reunion and Separation

Chapter 1: Reunion and Separation

Elsewhere in far south Ordon Village, it was an ordinary day for Ilia as she took a stroll around the slowly growing town. It had been about a year since Link had defeated Ganondorf and saved Hyrule. Though he stayed for awhile to ensure that everyone was safe, he eventually departed for lands unknown, and he still hadn't returned from his new journey. She had been the only one to see him off, and she missed him dearly. She worried about him quite often since she did not receive regular correspondence from him. During times like these, she liked to talk to Fado, who was one of the first to notice that Link had left Ordon after making sure all the children were safely back home. They had developed a closer friendship, both eagerly awaiting the day when Link would come back home.

Fado greeted Ilia as soon as she entered the ranch. "Ilia! To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Hello, Fado. I just wanted someone to talk to."

Fado smiled. "I could always use the company. I don't get many visitors, you know." He noticed the goats shaking. "You know, it seems as if something strange is going on right now. The goats all seem to be acting strange as if there was something in the air…"

For a while, Ilia stayed with Fado, helping him complete his work and talking about the times before the rise of the monsters. Soon, Ilia noticed that the sun was beginning to set. She had stayed a bit too long. "It's been wonderful talking to you," she told him. "I think I should get going."

Fado noticed the sun and agreed. "I think I should be getting the goats in, too. I'll see you around."

Ilia nodded and started to leave when she heard a loud voice. "Ms. Ilia! WAAAAAAIT!" The postman appeared, running as fast as he could towards her. Once he got to her, the postman stopped for a moment to rest before continuing. "Greetings, Ms. Ilia! I have come to deliver a letter." He took out one of the many letters in his bag. "It is a let—HEY!" Before the postman could react, Ilia snatched the letter. She didn't need to wait for the postman to finish his little spiel because she knew that the letter had to be from Link. "Feeling very feisty today, aren't you…Well, my business is concluded! Onward to mail!" With that, the postman took off.

Ilia ripped the letter wide open. Eager for the first words from Link in months, she wondered how he had spent the past months.

_Dear Ilia,_

_I'm sorry I haven't been able to write to you at all these past few months. I have traveled to many different places beyond the kingdom, meeting new people and new challenges everywhere I've been. Still, my thoughts always seem to return to you and everyone else back in Ordon Village. Thus, I have decided to come back home to see you and everyone else again. I plan to head for the ranch this evening. Hope to see you then._

_ Link_

Ilia looked up as she finished reading the letter. Immediately, both of them heard a horse's galloping. It grew louder and louder until Link and Epona became visible. Epona slowed to a trot, and Link jumped off to meet Ilia's embrace.

"Link!" she exclaimed as she met him. They embraced for a few seconds before Fado decided to ruin the moment.

"Link! If you don't mind, I've got to close up. You mind rounding up the goats?" Link looked at him for a moment and sighed. Mounting Epona, he quickly got the goats back in the barn as Fado closed the gates. "Thanks, Link. I think you're meaning to stay awhile. How about helping around tomorrow just like old times?"

"Fado! Link just got back, and you're expecting him to get right back to work?"

Link spoke up. "It's alright, Ilia. We'll have some time to ourselves. And don't worry about it, Fado. Tomorrow, I'm getting right back to work. But tonight, I want to spend some time with Ilia. It's been far too long." Ilia smiled as Link helped her up onto the saddle. Epona galloped over the fence towards Link's old house. He hoped Mayor Bo wouldn't mind letting his daughter spend one night with her old friend as they caught up on the previous months.

* * *

Link woke up ready to get to work. It had been awhile since he had returned home. He knew he was growing closer with his childhood friend, but he chose to take things slowly. There was ample time now that there was no evil threat trying to kill him. Link left much of his adventuring gear in his basement, keeping with him only the necklace Ilia had made him and a sword and shield in case anything came by. He had even put away his tunic. Nothing ever did nowadays, so each day was the same old routine.

It was another ordinary day at the ranch. Still, Link was fine with it. After so much time spent without Ilia, he knew that he needed no more adventure. Sometimes routine got to him and he took trips to Kakariko Village, but he was overall happy with peaceful times.

The day's work done, Link hurried to the lake, not wanting to miss one moment with Ilia. When he arrived, however, he found a familiarly dark figure holding Ilia at sword point. "Surrender your protection over the lake or the girl dies."

"Zant!" Link exclaimed. He was stunned when he recognized the figure's voice. His flesh had completely disappeared, marking him an unnatural skeleton with robes. He did not bother masking his face, a twisted skull reeking of pure evil. "How are you still alive? Midna destroyed you with the Fused Shadows, and I defeated your 'god' already!"

Zant didn't move. "So you think...your efforts were in vain, and we won't be worrying about her anymore..."

"What?" Link drew his sword, but, at that moment, Zant struck Ilia. Her screams of pain were intolerable to Link.

"Let me ask you again. Surrender your protection over the lake or the girl dies."

"Link!" Ilia screamed. As blood started trickling down her body, Link saw no choice to save her but complying with the evil being. He lied down, hands behind his back and sword on the ground.

"A wise move, hero." Zant raised his hands into the air, and the light started flowing into them. "My victory shall be won, and my lord and god shall rise again." Those were the last words Link heard before he fell unconscious.


	3. Chapter 2: Plumbers in the Desert

Chapter 2: Plumbers in the Desert

Meanwhile, in the Gerudo Desert, two brothers from a distant galaxy were taking refuge in a cave after a fall from space. The darkness that surrounded them was mitigated by the light that the white being, Baby Luma, was emitting.

"Mario," the taller one with a green hat said, "I think Bowser was able to escape."

"He won't get away from us for long," the famous plumber replied. "He never does."

"Yeah, but what was that thing that chased us earlier?"

Mario only shrugged; his memory was still a bit fuzzy due to the fall. Sometime before, it had been the same old routine in the Mushroom Kingdom. As he and Luigi were taking a stroll around the countryside, the two heard a loud scream come from Peach's Castle. He recalled that they were then chasing Bowser on board the Starship Mario when a mysterious craft appeared. Mario barely noticed it when it fired a strange ray, disintegrating the ship in an instant. He did not know what happened to Lubba or the rest of the Lumas on the ship.

The Luma spoke up. "I don't know. You know, we're lucky to have landed on a planet with a stable atmosphere. I just hope we can get off this planet soon so we can find Mama…"

Mario took a look around the cavern and found a letter lying upon a giant rock. "This is as far as you two will get this time!" the letter read. "You two have no idea of my master plan. This time I will win! BWAHAHAHAHA!"

Mario showed the note to Luigi. When he had finished reading it, he looked more nervous than before.

"What are we going to do?" he stammered.

Before he could answer, Mario noticed two dark figures coming into the cave. He looked Luigi in the eye for a moment. The two exchanged an infinitesimal nod before they sprang at the intruders, hoping to drive them off so they could obtain another moment's rest. Beating them easily, they then heard a voice coming from deeper in the cave.

"Well done, heroes from another galaxy," the voice said. It was a woman's voice with a calm and soothing quality. "The courage in both of you seems to be a force that may yet prevent the prophecy from coming true. I have something with me that may help you in your journey. However, I want to test your power, wisdom, and courage in order to make sure you are ready for the fight ahead. It will be like none you've ever faced before. One of you may attempt my trials. If you succeed, the reward will most certainly help you save not only your loved ones or this world, but also the universe as a whole."

Luigi looked at Mario. "You go on ahead, bro. You've got more experience in this kind of thing. I'll stand guard and make sure none of those monsters come back."

Mario nodded. The Luma went back under Mario's cap, and he entered the first room, ready for whatever trials awaited. In the first room, he saw a weak-looking goblin monster called a Bokoblin. He easily beat it and moved on to the second room, where there were only a few rats and bat monsters called Keese. The next few rooms had plants called Deku Babas, spiders called Skullatas, goblin archers called Bulbin, and torch slugs. In the seventh room, Mario finally found a few enemies worth fighting: Fire Keese and fire-breathing lizards called Dodongos. They held out longer than the other enemies had, but Mario still defeated them relatively easily. The next room had smaller spiders called Tektites. The ninth room contained more Bulbin archers and a few weapon wielding lizards called Lizalfos.

After defeating these enemies, Mario opened the door to the tenth room, wondering what sort of enemy would lie in this room. Inside he saw a strange spring with a magic feel to it. When he approached it, a light began to shine. Mario looked away for a moment before his eyes adjusted to the light. Once he became aware of his surroundings, he noticed that a woman was standing in front of him. She had long, light blue hair and wings on her back. She carried a soothing aura that made him feel more comfortable.

"Welcome, Hero, to the Cave of Ordeals," she said. "I am the Great Fairy. I reign over all fairies of this realm as their queen. In praise of your efforts so far, I offer you this." The Great Fairy raised her arms, and a light appeared from above. Something began to fall into Mario's hands. When the light faded, he saw part of a Grand Star. Mario's starship required those things for power, but he knew that this small piece could power it. "I'm sure you already know what this is supposed to be. You need to return to your journey through the stars, but you will need a great power to do that. I could take you back to the surface right now, or you can continue through my trials by going through that door. Mind you, I want to fully test your skills, and this cave extends far below where we are right now. If I returned you right now, you'd have to face those same trials all over again, so I'd keep going. Unless you're tired already..."

"Mama mia..." was all Mario could let out after hearing the last line spoken in such a teasing manner. He was disappointed that the Grand Star had been split into pieces and that it would probably take a long time before he would see the sun again. Still, he had to get the full Grand Star; he couldn't let Bowser win without a fight. Gathering himself, Mario proceeded through the door, hoping that the next set of rooms would be as easy as the first set...


	4. Chapter 3: The Trap of Shadows

Chapter 3: The Trap of Shadows

In a forest thousands of light-years away, Zant was running with a demonic fury. In his possession were the seven Chaos Emeralds, jewels of nearly limitless power. And yet, he was running away from someone still. The voice in his head was angry. _Why can't you just get him? The Chaos Emeralds are ours. He doesn't have the ability to fight back._

"My master, Ganondorf," he said aloud as he released a walls of fire, rock, and lasers behind him. "I'm trying. But I just can't stop him!"

As if on cue, a spiky, blue blur dashed over the walls and continued pursuing Zant. "Hey, you undead freak!" the famous hedgehog, Sonic, yelled. "Get back here with the Chaos Emeralds!"

Zant was as aggravated as his master. Giant walls of stone, huge lasers, barrages of swords, nothing could hit that annoying little hedgehog. "What more can I possibly do, my lord?"

_Look, there_, the voice beckoned. Zant heeded this advice and noticed a pink hedgehog following behind Sonic at nearly the same speed.

"The one time Sonic actually took me out to dinner, and you have to steal the Emeralds!" Amy Rose hollered.

Sonic turned around. "Amy! I told you to stay back at the restaurant!"

"Well, how was I supposed to know you weren't just trying to get away from me again?"

"Hey, that's no excuse to follow me! Besides, it's dangerous to just follow me around everywhere. Don't you see all the stuff this guy is hurling at me?"

All of a sudden, Amy's look of annoyance at Sonic changed into panic. "Sonic! Watch out in front of you!"

"Huh?" Sonic turned around one second too late. A mysterious, dark energy engulfed him, immobilizing him in an instant. Sonic struggled against the energy to no avail. "What's the big idea coming over here and taking the Chaos Emeralds anyway?"

Sonic heard a short scream, and then Zant appeared in from of him, carrying an unconscious Amy. "We have no further use for you. Be gone." Zant moved his arm, and, in an instant, a void engulfed Sonic, leaving no trace behind."

_Well done, my most loyal servant_, the voice in Zant's mind delightedly. _Now, with a suitable vessel and the energy of these artifacts, my plan can proceed_. With that, Zant's body dissolved into darkness before shooting up into space.


	5. Chapter 4: A New Friend in the Castle

Chapter 4: A New Friend in the Castle

Link awoke in a familiarly small cell. He saw his arm was covered in fur, as well as the rest of his body. He knew he was a wolf once more. A large fetter was attached to each of his legs, probably whatever came to put him there wanted to make sure he didn't escape. The cell was much darker than it had been before. There was no light to be seen anywhere, but, being a wolf now, it did not matter to him.

Link soon turned his attention to a small figure above. It seemed to be shivering in fear of something. Link barked at it, announcing his consciousness to the stranger. It seemed to be star shaped and had black skin. It looked somewhat pudgy, though Link couldn't tell since he was unfamiliar with this type of creature. As it came closer, he could tell that it was very curious and excited to see him.

"Oh!" the small figure said. "A new prisoner! Now I won't die of loneliness!" It proceeded to release the shackles on Link's legs. After he gave it a puzzled look, it continued. "Oh, where are my manners? My name is Polari. I'm named after Mama's eldest Luma! I live in an observatory with her and the other Lumas! What's your name?"

Suspicious of the strange creature, Link gave a low growl. The black star seemed unfazed. "Grrrrrrrr? That sounds like a silly name to me!" Realizing this creature meant no harm, Link stopped growling and looked at the strange Polari more intently. "That's better! Want to tell me something about yourself?" Link continued to stare at the creature. "You don't talk much, do you? Oh, well."

Link heard some heavy footsteps approaching the cell. Two towering figures appeared, more ominous than the variety of monsters Link had encountered before. Link assumed they were the guards since they used keys to open the cell door. Without warning, one of them lunged at Link while the other one sprang for the Luma. Link managed to jump out of the way, but Polari was not so lucky. "Urgh…help…" was all the Luma could let out as it was being squeezed by the figure. Link growled as he sped towards the aggressor when the other monster grabbed Link and began tightening its grip. As Link struggled, a light began to shine on Link's right paw. His attacker was momentarily stunned, long enough for Link to bite into its arm and hurl it up and down. He released the first monster and dealt with the second one the same way, freeing Polari in the process.

After Link finished off the two monsters, he looked up and saw Polari staring at the mark on his paw. "That looks like…the Triforce of Courage! That means…you're Link, right?" Link nodded. "Oh! I can't believe I'm meeting you in person! Mama told us many stories about the Hero from the distant kingdom of Hyrule!" Polari paused for a moment. "Hey, do you mind if I tag along with you for a while? I want to find my Mama, and I think I might be able to help you." Link nodded immediately. Though he didn't really think he'd need this stranger's help, he was willing to help the little guy out.

"Great!" Polari exclaimed. "First, we should head for the top of this place. There's someone up there who can help us get out of here, right?" Link nodded again, remembering how Princess Zelda had provided help the first times he had met her. There was probably a secret passageway of some sort to allow them to escape. "The door's open thanks to those two, so we should get going!" Link nodded once more, and the two proceeded to leave the chamber behind. As they left, they didn't notice that the two guards seemed to fade away...

* * *

As they ascended the tower, Polari told Link a little more about himself. "I've lived on the Comet Observatory all my life with Mama looking after all of us Lumas. We're all her children, and we live a peaceful existence traveling throughout the universe. In the recent past, however, we'd been attacked twice by an evil guy by the name of Bowser. He called himself the Koopa King, and he tried to use the power of the observatory, the Power Stars, for his own selfish purposes. Both times, however, a plumber from Mama's favorite planet named Mario stopped him from succeeding. Unfortunately, he returned once more with far more power than before, and, this time, Mario failed to stop him. Mama was forced to surrender to him. Many of the Lumas were sent all over the universe, and I don't know what he plans to do to Mama..."

The Luma paused as Link jumped through the roof to the second tower. "You know, you're a legendary hero to those who know your story. Someone once said, 'When the going gets tough, the tough get going.' I have a strong feeling that there's nothing that's gonna stop you from getting things done. Anyways, I think I've talked a bit too much. Don't you have anything to say at all?"

Link looked at him quizzically and barked. Polari sighed. "Alright, then. I guess you don't have much to say when you're a wolf. But I better get at least a word out of you when you return to normal!" Polari looked up. "I guess we're going up now. Race you to the top!" With that, he started floating to the top as Link chased after him.


	6. Chapter 5: A Reason to Rise

Chapter 5: A Reason to Rise

Deep in the dark void, Sonic started to regain consciousness.

"Ugh…where am I?"

Sonic slowly opened his eyes. He glanced around to see if there was anything at all he could recognize, but, even if there was, all that surrounded him was darkness. Sonic felt like all the strength he had been sapped away from him. The paralyzing force, while not as strong as before, still was powerful enough to stop Sonic from having any thoughts of trying to escape.

A calm voice emanated from somewhere in the darkness. "You cannot escape this realm. Do not struggle, little hedgehog. You will be spending the rest of your life here."

Sonic was drifting away. "Rest…of…my…life…" he murmured. While he knew that giving up without a fight was absolutely absurd, he felt like he was losing all motivation to resist this dark entity. As the remainder of his energy slowly drained away, Sonic wasn't sure if he even wanted to try to escape this, slowly coming to terms with death.

Suddenly, he heard a shriek from far away. It lasted but a brief moment, but Sonic understood it right away. "Amy!"

Immediately, the other voice returned, more panicked this time. "It doesn't matter! There's no point in trying to help her."

It was no use for the voice. Sonic's strength started to return. He had to try and save Amy from whatever was going on. "No way! I'm not giving up!"

Now the voice was angry. "Then, die!"

"Whoa!" Suddenly, the invisible grip holding Sonic in place faded, and he began to fall. "Is that all?" Sonic yelled as he fell. "You're just going to make me plummet to a death I can't see? Lame!"

Immediately, Sonic hit the ground. Just as he had hoped, his words were infuriating whoever was speaking. "Enough of this! You think you're so clever! Fine! Then, enjoy a death you can see!" Light suddenly entered the area, and Sonic saw before his eyes an astoundingly large, dark mass. It appeared as some sort of spider-like being, and there seemed to be something inherently malevolent about it. On what appeared to be its head were some sort of deep red pieces of metal.

"Now, destroy him!" The giant monster obeyed, raising its right hand into a fist and slamming it to the ground where Sonic was standing, but he easily jumped out of the way. It then continued smashing away at Sonic as he continued to evade its attacks. An idea came to him; when the monster thrusted its left hand at him, Sonic jumped right onto its arm. Before it could react, Sonic boosted towards the creature's head and inflicted damage to the monster, apparent by the cracks on the helmet with some light beginning to shine from it. It began to writhe in pain, signaling that he had found its weak point. Acting quickly, Sonic sped up the other arm, ramming into the head again. Light now began to shine more strongly than before, and the monster started behaving irrationally, striking anywhere it felt harm could come from. Now, Sonic rushed towards it at full speed, jumping right at the head when the monster regained its composure and crushed Sonic in mid-air. Or it would have if Sonic weren't going so fast that he broke right through, striking at the head one last time.

The monster howled in pain as light enveloped its whole body. Sonic looked on as the monster's body dissolved into the light as the large helmet fell and broke apart into several different pieces. The voice was evidently upset. "It seems as if manipulating the power of the Fused Shadows diminished its power. Fine then. We'll just take them away for our own purposes." Three of the fragments immediately vanished. "That one you can keep. It's not like you'll ever make it out of my realm. We have more important things to deal with than one puny hedgehog. Have a nice death!"

Sonic paid little attention to the voice; he had heard far too many death threats to take any of them seriously anymore. As he approached the final fragment of the helmet, he noticed a small being wearing it and moaning silently. "Yo, are you okay?" Sonic called out to it.

Slowly, the figure stood up with a hand to its head. "What happened?" it muttered. Sonic noted a tone of regret in the feminine voice.

"You mind telling me what you were doing attacking me?"

"Who are you?" the figure questioned.

"I'm Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog! Where I'm from, I'm the most famous hero around! And you still haven't answered my question. For that matter, who are you?"

The figure smiled a bit. "You seem to be trustworthy. My name is Midna. If I was attacking you, I do apologize. I think I was being controlled by the same person who once again took over this realm." She paused to sigh. "It seems I have failed as a leader twice now."

"Hm?" Sonic interjected.

"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking aloud."

"Well, okay then," Sonic said. "Do you know where we are?"

"This is the Twilight Realm. Or at least it was before Zant returned from the dead and turned it into this realm of shadows."

"Zant! You mean that undead guy with completely unnatural powers?"

Midna looked at Sonic suspiciously. "You've met him before?"

"Yeah. I was chasing him when suddenly he stopped me completely still, kidnapped my…friend, and then sent me here."

Midna relaxed. "So, it seems like you have a bone to pick with Zant, too. Tell you what. I'll help you find a way out of here if you let me tag along for a while. Do we have a deal?"

Sonic hesitated for a moment. He wasn't sure if he should trust this person who had just tried to kill him only a few minutes before. However, he quickly decided that it was a risk he was willing to take to get Amy back. "Alright, then. It's a deal."

"Good. Now, hold still. This might feel a little bit strange the first time around."

"Wait, what do you…WHOA!" In an instant, Sonic felt himself dissolve into particles as Midna teleported him elsewhere.


	7. Chapter 6: The Ancient Treasure

Chapter 6: The Ancient Treasure

Kirby sighed as he brought a meal to the top of the tower where its new head resided. He wasn't sure exactly how long he had been there, serving a "master" who merely ate and slept, the two activities Kirby enjoyed doing most when he wasn't busy fighting evil. While he loathed his menial chores around the castle, he continued to repeat to himself that the lives of those in the castle and those around Castle Town relied on his obedience to the nominal ruler of the castle and the higher power behind him. The time would come when he could spring to action. He only hoped that it would come soon.

When Kirby entered the tower's upper room, he noticed that the head of the castle was not at the table awaiting his meal. Instead, he was lying unconscious beside a wolf and a black Luma. They did not notice Kirby at first. "Huh," the black Luma began, "I was sure we would've found Princess Zelda up here. Isn't this the same room you got to the last time you were here, Link?" The wolf nodded in agreement. "Instead, there was this guy. Oh, well. Sorry to get your hopes up about getting out of here."

"Excuse me," Kirby announced. The two turned towards the pink puff. "Who are you?"

The Luma approached Kirby. "My name is Polari, and this is Link."

Link glared sternly at Kirby, but Kirby smiled. "Link, is it? I've heard of you during training for this post. Yes, Princess Zelda spoke highly of the hero who defeated Ganondorf. It's very nice to meet you. My name is Kirby."

"Kirby?" Polari remarked in mild surprise. "Aren't you from Pop Star?" Kirby nodded. "What are you doing here in Hyrule?"

Kirby hesitated, not knowing whether it was safe or not to continue talking. After determining it was safe, he continued. "All right, I'm not supposed to tell anyone, but I have a feeling I can trust you two. Yes, I am from Pop Star, a planet far, far away from here. I've come to Hyrule because of some dark energy that seem to be originating somewhere near here. Initially, I had thought that they were nothing. They had appeared months ago and disappeared spontaneously. I suppose that its disappearance was because of you, Link.

"Anyway, the energy returned, coinciding with problems on Pop Star. I came to investigate, hoping to find the cause of these problems. As you can see, I haven't been able to do that, and I'm not at all pleased with myself. You both are worried about people close to you, right? So am I. I can get you out of the castle, but there's something I think will be necessary later. It's an ancient treasure the Royal Family has kept ever since it was used to save this land from tyranny long ago. Can you help me find it?" Link nodded.

"Great! The path begins through that fireplace. Follow me." Kirby pressed a switch beneath a table, and the fireplace slid into the wall, revealing a passageway. Kirby entered first, followed by Link and Polari.

* * *

As they continued through the passageway, more of those monsters appeared. Kirby was concerned that the treasure might already be lost to the evil entity. What would happen then? At this time, Polari broke the silence. "Say, Kirby...how come you were still in the castle? I'd have thought a hero like you would have already defeated whatever took over this place."

Kirby looked at Polari for a moment. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I didn't. I disappointed myself, too, because I knew that I could have defeated him. However, the lives of everyone in the castle were in danger, including that of Princess Zelda. Sometimes, a hero has to know when to bide his time in order to save others until the right time comes."

"Other people...where are they? Link and I didn't encounter any other people around here."

Kirby sighed. "The guards did not react well to losing the light. Twilight was one thing. This is completely different. Link, you remember how people under twilight became spirits, losing their physical forms?" Link nodded. "This is much worse. I'm not sure what exactly it is; I can only call it...the S_hadow_. The guards...they were transformed into soldiers for his army...

_What?!_ Link couldn't believe that it was possible. _The two monsters I had fought were Hylian guards… What became of them once I had fought them?_ He brushed away those thoughts for the moment, not wanting to consider the possibility that he had just killed two people. He was used to destroying creatures that would leave behind no corpse and possessed no inkling of genuine feeling. Dwelling on that would not be ideal, considering what he needed to do now.

Polari was confused. "If the guards were ordinary people turned into monsters, how come neither of us has changed? I know Link's Triforce protects him from losing his senses."

"I guess this...Shadow only affects the people from this world," Kirby responded. "Still, I don't think we'd be safe forever. I'd expect that this Shadow will probably spread throughout the universe if left unchecked..."

"Well, then," Polari remarked, "we'd better hurry to whatever we're supposed to be looking for! What was it again?"

"You sure are curious about things, aren't you?" Kirby noted. "It's an ancient instrument infused with the power of time itself. I never learned its exact origins, but I can say that it was entrusted by a member of the Royal Family to a young boy a long time ago."

"Hm...I remember my Mama told me a story about it, but I don't remember it fully. What about you, Link?"

Link shook his head in denial. He had no idea what they were talking about, and he didn't care much at that moment. They had to get going fast, and he dashed ahead. The other two took his cue and sped up, ending the conversation for now.

* * *

Eventually, Kirby, Link, and Polari found themselves in front of a large door. "Alright, this is where it is," Kirby said. "I can only hope that the treasure is still there..." Kirby took out the key he had been given when he had completed training. He placed it in the lock and turned it. The lock fell, and the door opened. "Shall we?"

As they entered, the door sealed behind them. Link noticed a treasure chest. _There has to be something in there._ Link instinctively ran towards it, hoping that they could actually get what they were looking for without facing any sort of fight. Unfortunately, the chest was a trap; once Link reached it, it released a force field that surrounded him. _Dammit! I can't believe I fell for that!_

Kirby became alert to any changes in the environment, knowing that there was definitely something waiting in the darkness. He quickly jumped back as something with a sword struck the ground before him. Polari exerted more energy to allow Kirby to see the foe. It appeared to be Kirby's size, except with a sword and a familiar mask.

Kirby couldn't believe his eyes. "Meta Knight! What are you doing here?"

The figure responded. "Kirby! Stop this at once! You don't know what you're doing with these two! They are villainous beings who are coaxing you into rash actions! Do not forget about the lives you are entrusted to protect here and at home!"

"What?!" Polari exclaimed. "We're no evil beings! I'm a Luma and Link is..."

"SILENCE! I have no patience for cowardly liars. I will stop you before you try to hinder Kirby and me any further." Kirby watched in silence as the figure took his sword from the ground and struck at the Luma. Polari dodged and tried to get away.

"You'd strike at a living being without giving proper judgment to achieve your own ends?!" Polari let out as he tried to escape. "You're a monster!"

Kirby broke his silence. "You're right, Polari. I don't think this is Meta Knight. I know that he is a very chivalrous being who would never fight dirty. You didn't even offer Polari a chance to defend himself! I bet you're Meta Knight's evil copy, Dark Meta Knight!"

The figure laughed for a moment. "Very deductive...you have certainly become wiser since we last met, Kirby. As I recall, it took four of you to actually defeat me and my old master, Dark Mind. However, I've been given an even greater power, and you're all alone. I suggest that you surrender quietly, and no one gets hurt."

"Not happening! There's a time to surrender and a time to fight. Now is my time to fight! Bring it on!"

The figure laughed again. "Well said! It will be my pleasure to defeat you here and now." Dark Meta Knight began to swing at Kirby. Seeing that Kirby was easily evading him, Dark Meta Knight summoned four swords and sent them towards Kirby. Kirby dodged the first three and faced the fourth. Before it could cause any damage, he inhaled deeply, sucking the final sword into his mouth.

Kirby swallowed, filling him with power. A sword appeared in his right hand, and a green cap replaced his sash. Dark Meta Knight ran towards Kirby, and Kirby countered with his sword. Kirby easily overpowered his foe and landed a few blows before Dark Meta Knight disappeared. He reappeared above Kirby, hoping to land a strike from above. Kirby parried the sword and landed a few more blows.

Dark Meta Knight disappeared again. "It seems your strength has grown much since we last met. It is time to unleash the full might of my new power!" The force field around Link disappeared as Dark Meta Knight reappeared above the party. The shadows in the room flowed into him, and he transformed into a giant. "BEHOLD, THE POWER OF SHADOW META KNIGHT!" he bellowed.

Kirby seemed unfazed. "The bigger they are, the harder they fall! You know what that means, Link? Let's take him down!" Link nodded and began to run towards the left foot while Kirby headed towards the right. Their giant foe attempted to crush them, but they were too quick for him. Link dug deep into the foot while Kirby hacked away at the other. The giant fell, and the two continued to give him hell. After repeating this a few more times, the giant gave a final shriek of pain before breaking apart and fading away and leaving behind a Heart Container.

Looking up from where the foe had just been, Link noticed a star exiting from Kirby's body. The sword was gone, and the sash had replaced the green cap that had strangely appeared on his heard. Link made a mental note to ask Kirby later about how the sword and cap had appeared in the first place. Even stranger to him was Kirby's reaction to the boss's defeat. Kirby jumped up and down several times, spun around, jumped around some more, and finally put his small arm up in victory. He wondered why the pink stranger reacted so.

Kirby saw a new treasure chest appear and excitedly hopped over to it. He opened it, revealing the treasure inside. As he held it up, he jumped with joy again. "Yes!" he exclaimed. "It's still here!"It was a small, blue item that seemed to exude a strangely calming aura.

Polari became excited too. "Oh! It's the Ocarina of Time! So that's what was hiding in here!

Kirby nodded. "Yes. Are you familiar with this story, Link?"

Link did not reply; he did not know much about the stories of ancient Hyrule. Few knew about them even in those days, fewer still who were living. Rusl occasionally told stories based on the knowledge he collected from his periodic trips around Hyrule, but it never formed a full story.

"Well, I might as well tell you about it. I learned it in the history lessons that were required by the princess for me to take. In truth, I am uncertain about its validity, but I have seen impossible things happen. Its significance could be great." With that, Kirby began the tale.

* * *

_A long time ago during a war for control over Hyrule, a Hylian mother entrusted her only son to a forest entity known as the Great Deku Tree. After the mother's death and the resolution to the war, the boy was raised along with the children of the forest, known as the Kokiri. One day, the boy had a particularly strong premonition about a man who threatened the balance of the world. The boy then set off on a journey to warn the Royal Family, meeting new faces all over the land. He snuck into the castle and, once he found the princess, relayed the instructions the Great Deku Tree had given him. The princess believed him because she had had similar premonitions. She sent him on a quest for the sacred jewels of the Kokiri, Gorons, and Zora in order to stop the man from achieving his goals. She entrusted him with the Ocarina of Time in order to gain entry into the inner chamber of the Temple of Time so he could draw the Master Sword, open the Sacred Realm, and get to the Triforce before the man could stop him._

_But, the boy played right into the villain's trap. The Master Sword sealed the boy's soul inside because he was not old enough to be called the Hero of Time. By the time the boy had awoken, the man had succeeded in conquering Hyrule, slowly turning it into a land of chaos. However, the boy adapted to these circumstances, defeating the man's forces throughout the land. He was able to defeat the man, and then he returned to his own time with no record left of his journey except his memories and his desire to change the future._

* * *

"The boy returned to the princess, confirming to her father the validity of her premonitions. With this information, the King condemned the villain to death, and the boy became known as the Hero of Time."

Link wondered to himself as he heard the story. Most of him thought that this was some strange, twisted fairy tale. However, there was something about it that seemed awfully familiar to him, but he couldn't put his paw on it. He took the Heart Container, indicating that story time was over. He felt the familiar burst of energy course his entire body, increasing his stamina.

"Oh, right," Kirby said. "Yes, there will be a time for stories later. Now, we need to get going." Kirby took out a cell phone and pressed a button. A star came from out of the ceiling and approached the party. "Our ride's here, so we should head for your home, Link. I have a feeling that you'd like to get there as soon as possible. Hop on!" The three jumped on to the Warp Star, and it flew out towards Ordon Province, leaving the castle behind.


	8. Chapter 7: Stories from the Past

Notice

Alright, you don't like long Author's Notes and neither do I. It's just been too long since the last chapter (more than a month); unfortunately, long waits may continue to be the norm despite the end of school. I hope to get to the point where I can keep writing the storyline I've got planned in my mind. I'm also planning a sort of prequel, so be sure to look out for that if it turns up.

* * *

Chapter 7: Stories from the Past

Sonic got up feeling very disoriented. "Ugh, that is certainly some way to travel..."

Midna appeared as Sonic got a hold of himself. "Ehehe...what's the matter?" she teased. "You're not used to travelling this way? How are you going to last even a day in here?"

Sonic shot a dirty look at her. "Hahaha," he muttered sarcastically. "I suppose you're enjoying this?"

Midna frowned. "Sorry...I didn't mean to be rude. It's just been a long time since there was someone or something that could lighten my mood."

Sonic was lost for a moment in thought, pondering what to make of this stranger. Something about her just wasn't right. If she were a friend, why was she trying to kill him earlier? Her reasoning seemed somewhat strange. And if she were a foe, why was there something about her that made him want to trust her? He needed answers. Now.

Sonic turned towards her. "Can I ask you a question?"

"You just did."

"Yeah...of course." This seemed more and more like a bad idea with every second that passed.

"Alright, no need to be such a downer. Since when did it become so hard to have any fun?"

_ Hey...that sounds like something I'd say_. Sonic brushed away that thought for a moment. "Who exactly are you? I've met a lot of strange characters before, but you seem entirely different. What's your story?" _Something about her is strange. I just can't put my finger on what it is._

Midna sighed. "Don't you think we have more important things to be doing right now? It's not always a good idea to stay in the past. Though, maybe I'm a bit of a hypocrite when it comes to that..." Midna paused, recalling both memories that shamed her and those that made her happy. Sonic moved his hand in a small circle, entreating her to continue. "No. I think that is enough for now. I...these memories..."

Seeing a pained expression, Sonic attempted to lighten her mood. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry. It's just that I find things a bit suspicious around here. Call me crazy, but it seems just too convenient that there was some sort of artifact controlling you and that we get to keep a piece of it for free. What is it even?"

Midna relaxed a bit. "That story...I think I could tell you...if you're willing to talk a bit about yourself."

Sonic shrugged. "Hey, ladies first."

"Alright, then. This artifact, the one I'm wearing right now, is a Fused Shadow. When all four pieces are assembled, they grant the bearer terrifyingly powerful strength. They were created by the ancestors of the Twili, the inhabitants of this domain. Our ancestors wielded this power in hopes of gaining an even more powerful artifact guarded by the Goddesses: the Triforce."

"Hold on," Sonic interrupted. "What's so special about this Triforce? Seems to me that all the power you'd ever need could come from that...uh..."

Midna sighed. "Such a bad listener. But, to answer your question, the Triforce is a sacred relic that grants the bearer god-like powers. With it, one person could create an era of prosperity or usher in a reign of terror. Many have waged war against each other in the vain hope of obtaining this power for themselves, and our ancestors were the same. When we were stopped short of entering its resting spot, the Sacred Realm, the Goddesses banished us to a realm hidden in the shadows and hid three of the Fused Shadows in the separate domains of Faron Woods, Death Mountain, and Lake Hylia. Most of us accepted this course, looking to the positive of a beautiful world of twilight. What you see is NOT that world. It is instead changed into a dark realm of shadows, now worse than the last time..."

"Last time?" Sonic wanted to hear that story.

"Hey, I told you a story. Now it's your turn to tell me something about yourself. I might consider talking some more afterward."

Sonic thought for a moment. Obviously, this person was very careful about her information. "Alright, then. What do you want to know?"

"How'd you get here? I thought I sealed off the last remaining link between here and the world of light."

"I guess it started with the last attempt by a crazy guy to defeat me. He goes by the name of Dr. Eggman."

Midna snickered. "You can't be serious. There can't be anyone with a name like that!"

Sonic grinned. "To this day, I still don't know why he changed his last name. It's either because he woke up one day and decided his name wasn't stupid enough or because he really let himself go. And in more ways than one. It used to be that his plans to take over the planet and defeat me were actually pretty well thought out and diabolical. But these days, I think he's gone mad and is desperately trying to do anything just to finally beat me at something. And it still doesn't work!"

Midna laughed hysterically before controlling herself. "Alright...continue..."

"So, his most recent attempt was to kidnap one of my friends and then bait me into a trap. Except it was a poorly made trap, and I felt kinda bad that she was being used as bait for a very pathetic plan."

Midna raised a brow. "_She_?"

"Hey! I'm not THAT into Amy! She's the one obsessed about me! I swear, it's really unhealthy..."

"So her name's Amy?" she said in a toying manner. "She sounds pretty..."

"Wha—well—HEY!" Now Midna was really laughing as Sonic grew more and more flustered. This stranger was just as blockheaded as her old friend. Dismayed by Midna's reaction, Sonic waited for what felt like hours until Midna finally settled down. "Anyways, I felt bad about the whole thing, so I took her out on a date. That's about the time when it felt like something was wrong with the world. Like somehow the energy in the air was gone. That's when I noticed a strange figure appear nearby with the most powerful artifacts in my world: the Chaos Emeralds. Naturally, I decided to chase after him, hoping to stop whatever he was planning to do with them. Unfortunately, I unintentionally brought Amy into danger. Before I could do anything to help her, I was sent here by the figure, not knowing if I would even be able to keep myself alive for a few more moments as a voice told me to surrender."

Midna frowned at the last part. "So, you were taken from your home, and all that's really keeping you going right now is a girl?"

"Well...err...I guess that is what it comes down to."

"Alright, then. I may as well talk more about my story; it bears an uncanny resemblance to the one you just told. Though it will be abbreviated, it will still be a little lengthy, so try to keep up, okay?"

"No problem."

Midna smiled for a moment before collecting a more serious demeanor. "As I had said, most of my people came to accept life in this realm. However, there was one, one who was unsatisfied with the way our people lived. He was Zant, then a man who hoped to lead our people back into the light and take what our ancestors could not. He was not alone; he found someone with part of that power which our ancestors failed to take. He was Ganondorf, a man who was sentenced to death for his attempt to conquer all. His power protected him from the judgment of the Seven Sages, and they hastily sent him here, hoping to rid the light of that blight. When he was sent here, he saw Zant as a means of returning to the light and offered a share of his power in exchange for his loyalty. With the power granted to him, Zant first changed the people into his army of Shadow Beasts and proceeded to conquer the world of light, transforming it in a veil of twilight. It was my task to protect my people from him, and I failed.

"For the first time, I didn't know what to do. I was powerless to stop him from his goals. The only thing I had was a legend, passed down from our ancestors that told of a hero who would take the form of a wolf in order to save the people of light and twilight. It was then when I saw a young man named Link taken by Zant's army into the twilight. All other light dwellers who came in contact with the twilight lost their physical forms and became lost, but he did not. A light glowed from his hand, keeping him from becoming a lost soul. When it faded, I was surprised to find him transformed into a wolf. My initial shock soon gave way to pleasure as I felt I had a tool to fight back in the form of a desperate man. I could easily tell that he was willing to go to great lengths for those he cared about, especially a certain girl named Ilia. So we made a deal. I would help him restore light to his world, changing him and the rest of the light-dwellers back to normal, and he would then help me acquire the Fused Shadows I planned to use to defeat Zant.

"As time passed, I began to change my perception of the young man. I stopped seeing him as a tool to be used; instead, he became a dear friend, always ready to help others at any cost without self-benefit. Even when fate seemed to be against us in those convoluted dungeons where the Fused Shadows were kept, I could always count on him to triumph over whatever trials awaited. Still, I didn't know how useful he would be when it came time to face Zant. I thought that he might get in my way, but I also worried that he might have gotten hurt. It was the first time in a long time since I had cared about someone like that.

"Things took a turn for the worse after we had recovered the final Fused Shadow. I hoped to leave Link, lest he suffer from my fight. At that point, however, Zant attacked us. I tried in vain to summon the full power of the Fused Shadows, but he easily took them away before I could. Link had tried to stop him, but Zant brushed him aside and planted a curse upon him, dooming him to stay as a wolf forever.

"Even after that, Zant wasn't done toying with us. He manipulated the light spirit, Lanaryu, and used its power to nearly destroy me. I thought I was going to die, but Link didn't give up on me. He rushed to the only person who could help us, Princess Zelda. Not knowing his concern, I first asked how to restore him to his natural form, and she revealed the location of a sacred blade that repelled all evil: the Master Sword. In what I thought were my last breathes, I realized that it would be up to Link to make sure Zant would not win, so I asked for the location of the last entrance to the Twilight Realm: the Mirror of Twilight. Zelda had other plans though. Calling upon a power I'd never felt before, she gave of herself to save me. It was a token of generosity I haven't forgotten and never will.

"From there, we headed for the Sacred Grove, where Link claimed the Master Sword. The curse he was under materialized in the form of a crystal. In fact…," she stopped for a moment to take out an orange crystal that Sonic could tell was filled with an evil essence. "I still have it on me. It probably wouldn't have any effect on you, but I'll still keep it just in case. Anyways, we headed for the desert, where we learned the Mirror of Twilight was. When we found that it had been broken by Zant and the pieces scattered, we continued on to the Peak Province, to an ancient temple, and even to the sky to find the remaining parts. Entering Zant's lair, Link and I took back the Fused Shadows and destroyed Zant for his treacherous acts.

"After that, there was one more thing we had to do: defeat the true evil behind Zant. We returned to Hyrule Castle and charged up to meet the man who had managed to escape from his prison and return to plague the land of the Goddesses. That man, Ganondorf, had his own streak of madness; before engaging Link in battle, he decided to try and toy with him, taking possession of Princess Zelda's body and using her like a puppet. I used the power of the Fused Shadows to force him out, but he then transformed into the most beastly being I had ever seen. Link defeated him, and Zelda recovered. Though it seemed like the battle was over, Ganondorf was definitely resilient, taking the form of a demonic head. Ever eager to fight, Link was beginning to charge at him. I knew, though, that even Link could not have stopped him in that form. I sent him and Zelda against their will away from the Castle, knowing that what I was about to do would destroy me and only weaken him. With the full power of the Fused Shadows, I charged at him, knowing that I would not defeat him but hoping that Link would then be able to finish him off.

"I don't remember anything that happened immediately after that, but I know that Link did prevail in the end. I found myself still alive, and all was well in the land. Still, I knew that, as long as the Mirror of Twilight stood, what had happened then could happen again. A few days after Ganondorf was defeated, Link, Zelda, and I went into the Mirror Chamber, though I did not tell them what I was about to do. As I bid farewell to them, I shed a tear and pushed it towards the mirror. Once I returned to the Twilight Realm, the mirror shattered, severing what I thought was the last link between light and twilight. Despite what my heart told me, I decided that doing so would prevent what had happened from happening again."

As Midna finished telling this story, Sonic couldn't help but wonder at the scope of what she had faced. "That sure is some story," was all he could manage.


	9. Chapter 8: Reclaiming Home

Chapter 8: Reclaiming Home

As the Warp Star took them towards Ordon, Link couldn't help but notice the large number of creatures infesting the fields below. He wondered if home would escape mostly unscathed from the new threat. He had considered Ordon lucky in that it hadn't been invaded by the Twilight a year ago. Certainly, Zant had made it a point to take control of the province before locking him up in the castle dungeon rather than leave it to one of his minions. Still, he hoped that nobody had suffered from the grudge he was sure Zant had, especially not anyone in Ordon.

"Hey, look down there!" Kirby called out. Link glanced down and saw that they were approaching his tree house, the one that had been his home ever since he became old enough to live in his own house. No one knew its history, but Link had felt a strange connection to it from the moment he had first set foot in it. As he saw it now, though, it seemed to be a sole refuge from what lurked below. At least ten Shadow Beasts had the house surrounded, all threatening to come up and attack. As they landed, Link noticed that none of them were seemed willing to climb the ladder. He had no idea why, but perhaps there was a special significance to the place.

"Uh, Link," Polari stuttered. "There sure are a lot of monsters around." He looked very concerned at the large force right below. "Though, I have to wonder one thing. How come they're not attacking us?"

Kirby also looked unsure about what to make of the beasts below. "I'm not sure, but we have to go down eventually. We need to find out how to restore light to this area. To do that, we'll need to find this province's Light Spirit. Is that right, Link?"

Link nodded. The last time, he had needed to reclaim the lost light in the form of many tears spread across each region. it had been very tedious tracking down every last bit of light, but, for the most part, it involved very little risk to him or others.

"Well, when should we start," Polari inquired.

"We're going to have to start eventually, so let's get going now!"

With that, Kirby jumped off and landed on one of the Shadow Beasts before bouncing off onto another one closer to the direction of the spring. Link followed, not wanting to take a chance on harming one of his friends. Dashing forward after landing on the ground, Link took one last look behind, noticing that only three of the Shadow Beasts were chasing after them. The ones that were seemed bent on securing their destruction. They gained on the party, forcing Link to stop and confront them. He lashed out at the first, quickly pounced on the second, and rapidly struck the third. The three, of course, were not completely beaten, and they seemed to laugh at him for not being able to finish the job in a few short strikes. However, this was still according to plan, since picking them off one at a time would always leave one left to revive the others. Remembering his previous encounters with them, Link baited them into a small enough area where he would be able to unleash a Spin Attack.

When he did, all three, instead of falling in surprise of Link's attack, held out their arms and grabbed him. Pinning him down, they each slashed at him, sapping him of his strength. Evidently, these new Shadow Beasts would be tougher to deal with. Link attempted to free himself, but they seemed to possess too much strength. _How can these things be so tough?_ _There has to be some sort of weakness! But what could it be?_

He found his answer from above. Noticing some rustling leaves, his eyes followed the pattern of motion until a large tree branch fell from above and struck one of the monsters on the head. It instinctively took its hands off Link and put them on its head, attempting to alleviate the sharp pain that the blow seemed to have dealt. Seizing his opportunity, Link flipped backwards to break free and pounced on his captors' heads. Wasting no time, he swiftly rushed from one to another, hoping to finish them off quickly. They soon fell, leaving behind a strange mark on the ground. Presumably, it could be used to warp back here, just like the strange portals that had disappeared after the Mirror of Twilight was shattered. Link gazed up for a moment, wondering who up there had helped him earlier.

He didn't have much time to think about that, however, as he heard footsteps rapidly approaching. He turned his attention in the general direction and found Kirby rushing towards him along with Polari behind him. "There you are!" he said. "Where were you? We thought you were right behind us until we got to the spring and realized you weren't there!"

_Yeah, really great timing you guys_. He didn't show anything different in his face, but Link was going to give the two a piece of his mind once he could actually talk again. He mentally added yet another thing that would have to wait a little bit, though he hoped it would not be long.

Kirby took the silent, blank expression as a bit of spite. "What? Did something happen around here?" Link pointed towards the mark on the ground. "Oh. Uh…sorry I wasn't there to help?"

Link sighed and begrudgingly accepted the weak apology. He knew that it wasn't Kirby's fault that he had to face the monsters by himself, but he had still expected some sort of assistance from the stranger. But, if it wasn't Kirby or Polari who came back to help, who had helped him out?

* * *

As they approached the spring, Link felt an especially dark presence surrounding the area. He turned to his side and caught Kirby flinching. Evidently, he also felt the presence, and, though neither knew it, both hoped for the same thing: that whatever lay ahead not be as terrible as they thought it would be. The area around seemed to have more light than the rest of the path behind them; however, this light seemed to resemble the Twilight with its veiled colors rather than unrestricted purity.

When they stepped forward towards the center of the spring, Link noticed that there were no sounds at all anywhere. He looked around impatiently, hoping to find the spirit so they could start restoring light to Ordon. To his disappointment, the spirit did not seem to be anywhere nearby. _Where could it be?_

Polari seemed to be as restless as Link. "Hey!" he called out. "Is anyone home?"

Kirby noticed something stir in a far corner of the spring. "Hey, I think something is over there!" He hurriedly dashed towards the point where he saw the motion. When he got there, he felt some motion from somewhere beneath him. "There's definitely something around here, but I'm not sure what it is."

Link turned his head towards the area, but he didn't seem to think something had been there. Polari, too, doubted Kirby's assertion. Hearing some rustling nearby, they started towards that direction, but Kirby inched closer to the spot in the spring. When he finally stepped on that point, he felt a lot of rumbling coming from the ground. "Guys? I'm absolutely sure there's something here!"

They turned around to see Kirby jump up and down, trying to get their attention. However, he was also agitating the thing beneath. A red mark appeared on the ground beneath him. "That doesn't look good." He tried to jump out of the way, but a mysterious force quickly took hold of him. "Guys? Link and Polari started towards Kirby, but, before they got there, he was launched away towards, Link believed, the desert. "YAAHHHHHHH!" came Kirby's belated cry for help.

Whatever had just launched Kirby off was awakening. The red spot on the ground grew and moved towards the center of the spring where it turned pitch black. A large, dark figure arose from the black mark. It appeared to be a deranged looking goat, as if Fado had done something to cause it to lose its mind. Its horns were illuminated in a sinister red light. It seemed to be very familiar to Link, but he didn't get much of a chance to examine it.

No sooner had it appeared when it charged at the Hero and the Luma. Jumping out of the way, Link tried to study how to approach this enemy. _If I were back to normal, I could probably put on the Iron Boots and take it down like an ordinary goat. But I'm not normal, and the boots are in my basement._

"Link! Look out!" The goat-monster opened its mouth and unleashed a long laser, grazing Link's tail. He flinched for a moment, but it was long enough for the goat-monster to ram him into the rock wall at the back of the spring.

Link grimaced in pain. _If Midna were on my back, I could ask her to hold that thing down, but she's not here. So how can I take this thing down?_

Again when in need of a way to damage his foe, some rustling appeared in some nearby trees. As Link looked in the general direction, a large branch crashed into the goat-monster's horns. Roaring in fury, it charged into the tree, taking down the tree and a comparatively smaller figure. While it was occupied by the new guest, Link hurried up to the monster and attacked its horns, knowing that its weak point had been exposed. The monster reacted violently, doing its best to try and throw him off, but he continued to attack. It was when he looked away for a moment to see what it was that had distracted the monster that the monster was able to throw him off. Link motioned for Polari to go investigate while he continued to fight.

"Hello?" Polari questioned as he approached the spot where the goat-monster had been. He saw a furry figure lying on the ground, apparently worn out from the goat-monster's attack. "Hello?" he asked again, poking the figure. He noted that it felt really soft and warm, giving an almost inviting aura. At the same time, there seemed to be something highly powerful lying inside this being. "Hello?" he said one more time, this time daring to open its eyelids.

The figure regained its consciousness and instinctively pounced on the Luma, not knowing why it was there. Polari thought the worst and frantically waved his tiny arms. "No! No! I'm not food! I'm a friend! Please don't eat me!" The figure eased its grip on him until he was able to free himself, and he to circle around it in order to examine it. _Let's see what we've got here. Grey coat…furry tail…really big teeth…powerful presence…apparently feminine structure…_

Polari didn't have time to continue his analysis because, at that moment, the goat-monster had thrown Link off onto the Luma. He quickly got up to chase his opponent again, but his eyes caught the figure standing right next to him. When Link took a look at the figure, his heart stopped for a moment. He only had to see those green eyes to know who it was.


	10. Chapter 9: The Fortress

Chapter 9: The Fortress

"How did I get myself into this mess?" Luigi wondered as a few Shadow Beasts slammed him into the ground of a small prison. It had all started just fine, waiting for Mario to come back up and staying safe. Until a whole bunch of those Shadow Beasts appeared. No matter how many he fought down, there seemed to be more and more ready to take him down until they finally did. As they dragged him away in a semi-conscious state, Luigi had noticed them walking right through a wall. When he saw that he was getting closer to it, he thought, with some hope, that he'd just crash into the wall while the monsters didn't notice him gone. Unfortunately, the wall turned out to be some sort of illusion as they all passed through without a problem. Losing hope of escape, he drifted further into unconsciousness.

Until he felt the ascent. He got up, noticing that they had passed a large gate. He looked around and saw a majestic-looking city. Or at least, it probably was, judging by the quality of the broken stones all over. This was all he could take in before they had gotten to the top. He noticed the whole on the roof of the structure. "Oh, no," he pleaded. "PLEASE don't throw me down there!" They looked at each other, wondering what to make of his pathetic sounding grovel. So they didn't throw him down there.

They SLAMMED him down there. He got up in pain and the sound of a distinct roaring at him. _What are they saying?_ he thought to himself.

As if to answer him, an orange Luma came out of his hat and said, "They're saying that you're not getting out of here!"

"WAH!" Luigi cried as he stumbled back, surprised at the newcomer. He had never felt the Luma's presence before, so how come it only decided just now to show itself?

The Luma just floated closer to him in a somewhat oblivious manner. "Hi, Luigi! Surprised to see me?"

"Ha—Hoo—How long have you just been sitting inside my hat?"

"Mama knew that you and your brother would be needed to go and save the universe or something, so she decided that you needed a Luma partner of your own and not keep borrowing Mario's! So, I've just been around waiting until I was needed!" It looked around for a moment. "And boy do you need it! You've just landed yourself in jail!"

"But I didn't even deserve it! All I was doing was lying around a cave not doing anything! Why would those monsters just snatch me and dump me here?"

"Um…maybe because you weren't contributing to society?" it joked.

Luigi looked at the Luma strangely for a moment, but he decided there was a more important problem he faced. "So, do you think you could help me get out of here?"

"Me? I can float out of here, but you need help to get out of here!"

"And can you help me get out of here?"

The Luma laughed. "Of course not! You're way too heavy for me to carry! You'll need to find a way out yourself!"

Luigi groaned. "Great! I'm a going to have to climb this! And how am I supposed to do that?"

"Well, it's not just like the answer's going to fall out of the sky, right?"

As if on cue, the duo heard some screaming getting louder and louder until a pink mass fell from the top of the hole and landed hard on the ground. They started to get closer to it, but they soon backed off when they saw it get up and start rubbing its head.

"My head is in SOOOOOOO much pain…" it murmured. Then, it turned around to acknowledge the two who were continuing to make sense of what had just happened. "Oh, hi! I'm Kirby! Who are you two?"

"Luigi!" the green-clad plumber proudly offered, tipping his hat in a form of salute.

Kirby and the Luma looked at him strangely. "Is that how you introduce yourself to everyone?" When Luigi didn't offer a response, the Luma continued. "Oh, well. My name is…well…Mama gave me REALLY long name and it's kind of embarrassing…even the shortened form is embarrassing, so just call me Fred!"

Kirby didn't know what to make of the Luma, but he soon decided that there were more important things to do. "Right! So, we're in a prison in the middle of a desert. Well, not the middle of a desert, more like a fortress, hidden away from the rest of Hyrule for so long that practically everyone forgot about it!"

Luigi looked at Kirby strangely, as if he were talking to some sort of alien. Well, he was, but it was still weird. "And?"

Kirby grinned. "There's definitely something important nearby! Right now, though, we should get out of here. I'm going to fly out. Grab onto my foot when I do."

"You could get me out of here?"

"You seem light enough for me, so sure!" Kirby began puffing up and floating. Luigi grabbed on as they floated out of the prison, Fred following shortly after.

* * *

The Shadow Beasts were standing guard at the main entrances of the fortress. Because of that, they didn't notice the floating figures heading towards one of the side entrances. Luigi dropped to the ground first, and Kirby came down soon after. Fred returned inside Luigi's hat, and they stealthily entered the fortress. A few corridors pointed to some event going on in the center, so the group began to head for the center of the fortress.

As they moved to turn left, a lone Shadow Beast suddenly appeared from the same direction. Taking cover behind a nearby crate, they waited to see if it was turning in their direction. Hearing the movement come closer and closer, Luigi started to panic. Rocking himself back and forth, Kirby stared at him for a moment before realizing why he was panicking. He readied himself, and, when the Shadow Beast finally spotted them, Kirby lashed out against it. It stumbled for a moment and signaled others to come. At that point, Fred grabbed hold of the monster and unleashed a spin. It didn't stand a chance, and it soon fell, leaving behind a strange looking flower. Luigi's eyes widened, and he quickly grabbed the flower. His clothes changed color from a green shirt and blue overalls to a white shirt with green overalls.

"Oh, yeah!" he joyously exclaimed, before realizing he had just alerted two more Shadow Beasts about their presence. Part of him winced, but that part was silenced as he began to defend himself against his opponents. Summoning green fire, Luigi quickly dispatched the two monsters.

Kirby was clearly impressed. "Cool. Mind shooting a fireball towards me?" Luigi gave a questioning look before complying with Kirby's request. To his surprise, Kirby opened his mouth and swallowed the fireball. He then realized why Kirby asked for the fireball when a crown exuding fire appeared on his head. It was then when he noticed a final Shadow Beast creeping up behind Kirby. Before Luigi could get his attention, Kirby turned, opened his mouth, and released a great amount of fire, easily taking down the monster.

"Right, that was probably noticeable," Kirby stated. "We should really get going." Luigi nodded as Fred returned to Luigi's hat, and they rushed off to where a sign said the center was. They passed by a few more of the Shadow Beasts, and Kirby wondered why these ones seemed so easy to fend off. _Probably because these ones are from this world rather than the World of Twilight_. To him, it made sense based off of Princess Zelda's explanation regarding the strength of Zant's army. Apparently, Link had faced much stronger monsters inside the Twilight Realm largely because that was where Zant's power was strongest.

Sensing a large room nearby, the two hurried faster before coming to a complete stop. Before them was an immense room with an open ceiling. Markings all over the walls indicated the history of the indigenous people. The center seemed to contain a coliseum of some sort. It seemed as if this place had once held a great significance for its natural inhabitants. Tons of Shadow Beasts were there guarding what seemed to be a treasure chest containing a bright glow. The heroes stared at each other for a moment and promptly nodded, knowing what their immediate goal was.

They headed towards the center, carefully ensuring that they didn't attract any attention. Once they were close enough, Kirby jumped up to attract their attention. "Look at me!" he exclaimed. "I'm a target!" Most of the Shadow Beasts noticed him and chased him around the room. Luigi crept up behind the chest and remaining monsters as he waited for Kirby to get to the fight place.

As soon as he got there, Luigi sent up two green flares. Noticing the flares, Kirby turned around and dashed straight at the monsters. When the first line came ready to grab him, he turned into a burning fireball. He burned through the first lines and spewed fire on the remaining ones. Once he made sure all of them had fallen, he sent out his own flare.

Luigi noted the flare working as the distraction he wanted. With his foes momentarily unfocused, he jumped up and fired at the ones closest to the chest. For the remaining ones now heading towards him, Fred came out and held each monster captive before Luigi unleashed his fire. Once all the enemies were down, Kirby jumped toward the two with a smile.

"Nice work, everybody!" he declared. Luigi nodded and approached the treasure chest. Opening it up, he found a small fragment of what appeared to him as a Grand Star.

Fred seemed pleased. "Great! We've got a part of a Grand Star! We can use this to get the Starship Mario back and return to the cosmos!"

Luigi paused for a moment. "Wait a minute…Mario's a still in that cave! I've a gotta get him!"

Kirby nodded. Not needing an explanation, he knew that Mario was important player in whatever scheme was going on. They escaped through the roof and landed outside the prison they had been in earlier. Noticing the large gate, Luigi pointed out that through there was the way out of this mysterious place.

"Right, then," Kirby said, "let's get going!"

* * *

Author's Note: Two chapters in two days? You probably won't be seeing that again. I'm really asking for some feedback because I've only gotten three reviews so far.

You may have noticed, if you've read the story Luigi Gets Busted, the weak explanation for Luigi's arrest. I felt like including a brief mention of a piece that gave me a few laughs.

One last thing. I purposefully included TWO references to the British sci-fi series Doctor Who. The first person to point out BOTH references will be my new favorite author. This offer is valid until I post who got it right in a future Author's Note.

Alright, I'll stop now. I hate long Author's Notes…


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